St George's earmarked as hub for south-west London pathology services

COMMERCIAL: The Tooting-based acute provider is to become the “hub” for pathology services serving the south-west’s GPs and four general hospitals.

The three other trusts, Kingston Hospital Trust, Croydon Healthcare Trust and Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals Trust will continue to operate smaller pathology units for urgent work.

For many district general hospitals their pathology labs are totemic of their independence and a significant source of income from GPs.

A joint statement from all four hospital chief executives said: “Although the main ‘hub’ will be based on the St Georges’ site, it will not be owned by St George’s, but by all four trusts equally.

“The programme board are very keen to include the Royal Marsden Hospital as a strategic partner in the development of their joint pathology service, as the Royal Marsden Hospital, has much to offer, particularly in terms of training and education opportunities for staff and delivering a cutting‐edge molecular pathology service.”

Full business cases will be presented to each of the four boards later this year.